Dear Mr. Speaker,

We write again today to request that HR 2491, the International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act of 2005, be brought to the floor for consideration as expeditiously as possible.  You will remember that we wrote you in November 2005 with the same request.  Unfortunately, the bill did not make it to the floor by the end of last year as we had urged in our last letter.
 
In June, HR 2491 passed both the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials and the full Committee by voice vote.  As you know, voice votes are traditionally saved for only the most non-controversial bills.
 
The issue of waste coming into Michigan from Ontario, Canada for disposal is one of great concern to the people we represent.  Currently, hundreds of trash trucks come across the bridge into Michigan each day.  Just recently, human waste was spilled onto a Michigan road from a Canadian trash truck.  This is the second such incident since March 2005. 
 
This is also a national security issue.  In January, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General issued a report - originally labeled "For Official Use Only" - which found that U.S. Customs "does not have an effective method to screen and inspect the 350 truckloads of municipal solid waste that enter the U.S. daily through the Detroit and Port Huron ports of entry."  The report was released to the public by Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Norm Coleman and Ranking Member Carl Levin.

The goal of HR 2491 simply is to implement and enforce an existing bilateral agreement that has been too long ignored and to give states tools to manage foreign municipal solid waste being disposed of within its borders. 
 
As you know, HR 2491 is the bipartisan product of hard work and tough negotiations.  We made every attempt to provide the people of Michigan, as well as other states, with some relief while not affecting or amending any prior law relating to the need for consistency with international trade agreements.  HR 2491 is a good bill that meets the needs of all concerned.
 
Thank you for you attention to this matter and we look forward to expeditious floor consideration.
 
Sincerely,

John Dingell
Sander Levin
Dale Kildee
John Conyers
Dave Camp
Bart Stupak
Joe Schwarz
Vern Ehlers
Mike Rogers
Carolyn Kilpatrick
Fred Upton
Joe Knollenberg
Thaddeus McCotter
Pete Hoekstra
 

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